Method of and apparatus for wire receiving and storing

ABSTRACT

Wire to be wound and stored is drawn through a tube by the viscous drag of a flowing gas. The wire then is passed over a cone and an air stream having an angular component relative to the cone axis causes the wire to rotate over the cone surface. A storage container having an annular chamber is disposed adjacent the wide end of the cone, with the annular opening communicating with the wide end of the cone so that wire is deposited into and wound within the annular chamber. Various means are disclosed for acting upon the wire to wind it in a manner to prevent its becoming tangled.

U United States Patent 1 1 1 1111 3,750,974 Dibrell 1 Aug. 7, 197 3 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WIRE 3,042,336 7 1962 Krafft.... 242/83 RECEIVING AND STORING 3,168,259 2/1965 Cady.... 242/83 2,957,646 10 1960 Crum .1 242/174 [75] Invento Ja W- D Ma a 3,656,701 4 1972 Dibrell 242/83 [73] Assignee: Microwire Corporation, Allentown,

Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath 1 Assistant Examiner--Edward J. McCarthy [22] filed: 1972 Attorney-Samuel Osterlenk et al.

[21] Appl. No.: 238,353

Related US. Application Data 7 ABSTRACT [63] Continuation-impart ofSer. N0. 52,594, July 6, 1970, P wound and draw" throhgh a tube p No, 3,656,701 1 by the viscous drag of a flowing gas. The wire then is passed over a cone and an air stream having an angular 521 11.8. c1 242/83, 28/21, 242/47, component relative to the cone axis causes the wire to 242/82 rotate over the cone surface. A storage container hav- [51] Int. Cl. B21c 47/00 i g an annular Chamber is disposed adjacent the Wide [58] Field of Search 242/83, 81, 82, 79, end of the cone, with the annular p g communicat 242 174 17 173 47; 19 159 23 21 ing with the wide end of the cone so that wire is deposited into and wound within the annular chamber. Vari- [56] Refe n e Cit d ous means are disclosed for acting upon the wire to UNITED STATES PATENTS wind it in a manner to prevent its becoming tangled. 3,300,158 1/1967 Strong 282/83 18 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENIEU U ssweors PAIENIEUAm: "(ma SHEU 3 0F 6 PAIENIEUMIE Hm I 3.750.974

SHEEI t (If 6 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WIRE RECEIVING AND STORING This is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 52,594, filed July 6, 1970, now US. Pat; No. 3,656,701.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method for receiving and winding elongated wire, and particularly extremely thin wire or filaments, without applying substantial stresses to the wire, and also relates to means for winding the wire to prevent its becoming tangled.

Prior art systems for reeling and storing wire,such as the conventional product of a thin wire extrusion system are considered in Ser. No. 52,594.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, wire or other elongated filament material is urged toward a storage chamber through a tube by the essentially constant viscous drag of a stream of a fluid, such as gas, or air, which stream is moved along the filament. The filament is contacted by a conical surface which shifts the filament outwardly. Then the filament is rotated around the axis of the conical surface by a second fluid stream directed transversely across the filament and along a loopshaped pathway to cause the filament to move through a looping path. The rotating filament is then coiled into an annular storage chamber. This technique is discussed in Ser. No. 52,594.

The filament merely settles at random into the storage chamber in repeated coils. The coils may become arranged so that the filament becomes tangled when it is withdrawn. It is desirable that the filament be received and stored in a manner that prevents its becoming tangled. To accomplish this, the coils preferably settle so that each later deposited coil intersects and passes across and above the coil deposited immediately before, i.e., each coil is phase shifted from the preceding coil.

Various apparatus and modifications on the apparatus of Ser. No. 52,594 cause the filament to settle in the desired manner. All act upon the filament as or before it moves through the storage chamber to cause each coil to settle in a predetermined manner with respect to the preceding coil, e.g., with each coil properly phase shifted". Such apparatus include means for oscillating the storage chamber around its axis over aperiod differing from "the period required for one rotation of the filament; transmitting fluid through a jet and transversely across the filament before it moves into the storage chamber, with the jet rotating at a speed different from the speed of rotation of the filamentrtilting the conical surface, that is contacted by the filament before it enters the storage chamber for directing the filament into that chamber, and then oscillating the tilted surface by rotating the direction of tilt of the conical surface around the storage chamber axis, with the conical surface oscillating at a speed differentfrom the speed of rotation of the filament; directing an additional fluid flow radially outwardly through the interior wall of the storage chamber and, by appropriate relatively moving screens, varying the strength of the fluid flow in accordance with a cycle differing from the rotation cycle of the filament. ther apparatus canbeenvisioned.

It will be apparent that while the invention has important applications in the coiling and storage of thin filaments, it is generally applicable to the coiling and storage of all elongated, flexible materials.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to coil and store moving filaments without applying significant longitudinal tension to the filament, and particularly without encountering the problems of variable tension which commonly result from adjusting the speed of a reel (having significant inertia) to changes in extrusion speed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coiling and storage method and apparatus for coiling and storing elongated filaments in which handling of the filament is accomplished by fluid flow forces.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for loosely spooling elongated filaments into a receptacle in a controlled manner and without tangling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a primary embodiment of coiling apparatus and receptacle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken across section line 2 2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken across section line 3 3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspectiveview of the apparatus of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a. filament coiled in a prepared phase shifted manner.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-section view of a first modified embodiment of coiling apparatus and receptacle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view looking from the bottom of the receptacle used in the first modified embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-section view of a second modified embodiment of coiling apparatus and recep- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown a receptacle 10 for receiving a coil of material and which replaces the conventional reel of the prior art. Receptacle 10 is formed of an outer shell or wall 11 and inner shell or wall 12 which are radially spaced to form an annular chamber 13 for storing a coiled filament. Chamber 13 has a bottom 14 (FIG. 1) which can be integral with walls .11 and 12, or which could be a separate member suitably joined to separate walls 11 and 12. Walls 11 and 12and base 14 maybe of any desired material. For example, wall .11 may be of glass or .lueite or some other transparent-material which permits observation of the contents of chamber 13. The remainder of the dimension and typically may have a height of about 6 inches, an outer diameter of about 6 inches, and chamber 13 may have a radial width of about one-fourth inch. Such a container can hold in excess of 1,000,000 feet of aluminum wire having a diameter of 0.001 inches, assuming a packing factor of about 0.5.

Receptacle is removably clamped to a support body 20 (FIG. 1) by a suitable bolt 21 which is threadedly received in a tapped opening in plate 22 (FIGS. 1 and 4). Plate 22 has a flange 23'which overlies flange 24 (FIG. 1) of receptacle base 14. To load and unload receptacle 10 on support 20, bolt 21 is removed and the support 20, which maybe movable, is separated from support 22 and receptacle 10 can be removed therefrom.

Support 22 is adapted to carry a motor 30 which has an output shaft 31 carrying fan blades 32. Motor 30 may be a dc motor, with the motor leads (not shown) passing through supports 20 and 22 to a suitable motor control circuit which can energize and control the speed of motor 30. A plurality of openings, such as openings 40 to 44, pass through support 22 and communicate with similar openings in support 20. Thus, fan 32, when operating, can draw air from below plate 20 and move this air upwardly through the central'interior of shell 12, as will be later described.

It will be later seen that fan 32 and motor 30 could be replaced by other sources of pressure, including gaseous and liquid pressure sources which, ultimately, will apply a rotational force to rotate wire being spooled into receptacle 10.

A plurality of support posts, such as posts 50 to 53, extend from support 22 and are appropriately secured to the interior surface of a conical shell 54. Conical shell 54 may be of aluminum having a highly polished outer surface and a wall thickness, for example, of about one-eighth inch. The large end of cone 54 is disposed immediately adjacent the top of chamber 13 and extends over the top of chamber 13 for about twothirds of its width. The top of cone 54 is truncated and has an internal diameter opening of about one-fourth inch.

The top of cone 54 is covered by a cone cap 60 which is supported from conical shell 54 by spider arms, such as arms 61, 62 and 63. Cone cap 60 may be of aluminum and may have a length of about 1 inch and a lower diameter of about three-fourths inch. The interior surface of cone 60 may be spaced from the exterior surface of cone 54 at the top thereof by about one-eighth to one-fourth inch. The interior surface of cone 60 is fluted with off-axis ridges 600 (FIG. 1) extending around the periphery of its interior surface. Thus, air passing into the interior surfaces of cone 60 will be redirected rearwardly with an off-axis, or rotational component.

The upper structure of the present invention consists of a stationarily mounted wire-receiving chamber 70 having an opening 71 through which passes the wire 72 extruded from wire extruder 73 (FIG. 1). Preferably, opening 71 will have a diameter about twice the diameter of the wire being extruded, and is used to retard upward flow of air from the chamber. The chamber 70, having a suitable connection nipple 75, is connected to an appropriate gas pressure source 76. Opening 74, at the top of capillary member 80, normally will be 10 to times the diameter of the wire to be received, its diameter being determined principally by the requirement to provide a downward flow of gas from chamber through the tube at a velocity which is high in relationship to the maximum anticipated speed of wire extrusion.

Capillary member 80, having an outwardly flared bottom section to form a venturi chamber, then extends from member 70 and surrounds wire 72. The annular discharge region between cones 54 and 60 is within this venturi chamber.

The operation of the system is as follows:

Wire 72 from extruder 73 is threaded through opening 71, capillary 80, over the outer surface of cone 60, over the outer surface of cone 54, and into chamber 13. The end of wire 72 may, if necessary, be anchored at the bottom of chamber 13.

Gas flow is introduced into chamber 70 from source 76, and motor 30 is energized to begin to rotate fan blades 32 and pressurize the interior of cone 54. Gas from source 76 then flows down capillary 80, where the inside diameter of capillary 80 is from ten to fifteen times the diameter of wire 72. In the case of the spooling of wire 72, which in one application will be 1 mil aluminum wire, the capillary length is long enough to establish a viscous drag from the gas of source 76 on wire 72 in the capillary 80 of about 1 gram. In case of 0.001 inch wire, gas flow rate would be of the order of about feet per second. This force then assures the positive movement of wire through opening 71 and toward receptacle 10.

The gas (such as air) within cone 54 flows into the interior of cone 60 and issues through the annular gap between the interior of cone 60 and the exterior of cone 54. The flutes 60a in the cone 60 cause this air to have an angular velocity component as it issues through the said annular gap. Therefore, the portion of wire 72 passing this annular gap is subjected to an angular viscous drag and, therefore, tends to rotate around the surface of cone 54. Accordingly, wire 72 will spool or wind itself into annular chamber 13.

Note that the pressure inside cone 54 will be appropriately controlled to cause wire 72 to rotate around the surface of cone 54 at an angular velocity appropriately related to the speed of extrusion of wire 72. For 0.001 inch aluminum wire, the flow rate is adjusted so that total air flow over cone 54 is at a rate, typically, of 300 to 800 feet per second with an angular component of 5-10.

When the extrusion is completed, the free end of the wire 72 is ultimately spooled into chamber 13. When the wire in chamber 13 is to be recovered and reeled, the free end can be picked up with a standard vacuum tool and microscope, and the wire placed on reels with a well-controlled reeling process which is independent of parameters otherwise imposed by the inertia of a conventional supply reel.

It will be seen from the above that very fine wire is easily spooled without application of varying reeling stresses to the wire. Moreover, there are virtually no inertial forces due to rotating reels or the like. Finally, the system is unaffected by various extruder speeds, including the abrupt changes in velocity during start-up of the extrusion process. Moreover, appropriate spooling can be easily controlled by adjustment of the pressure at the annular discharge orifice between cones 54 and 60.

It was previously mentioned herein that wire 72 coils in a random manner at the bottom of annular chamber 13. It is likely that an earlier received coil of wire 72 will shift to partially cover or pass across a later received coil. When the wire is thereafter drawn out of chamber 13, it may become snagged or tangled.

To ensure that wire 72 will be easily removable from chamber 13, it is desirable that the wire be coiled in the chamber, as illustrated in an exaggerated manner in FIG. 5 so that each later deposited coil intersects and lays across at least the coil that was deposited immediately before and preferably as many other of the preceding coils as is possible. With each succeeding coil being this phase shifted from the coil preceding it, there is a greater likelihood of tangle-free coiling of wire 72.

As shown in FIG. 5, coil 90 of wire includes a lowermost coil 91 which is intersected by and has succeeding coil 92 passing across it. Coil 92 has succeeding coil 93 intersecting and passing across it, etc.

A number of apparatus are now described which serve to gradually shift the wire that is about to be coiled with respect to the wire that has already been coiled. The apparatus act either upon the wire about to be coiled, or upon the already deposited coils to shift them with respect to the wire, or upon both.

In the below-described drawings, corresponding elements to those appearing in FIGS. 1 4 are correspondingly numbered. It is to be understood that Certain extruding and urging means appearing in FIG. 1, but not shown in the below-described drawings, are present in these apparatus.

The first modified embodiment 100 of coiling apparatus for causing phase shift in the coiling wire is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 and relies upon eccentric oscillation of the coiled wire, with respect to the wire being deposited for coiling, about the axis of the receptacle receiving the filament. The coiled wire oscillation speed must be different than the speed at which the wire is deposited to cause the phase shift."

In FIGS. 6 and 7, annular chamber 13 is defined by the integral receptacle unit 10 comprised of walls 11 and 12 and bottom 14. Projecting radially inward from and annularly around chamber wall 12 at bottom 14 is the annular support flange 102 for locking receptacle 10 into the desired path of movement.

Radially outwardly projecting flange 23 of support body overhangs annular chamber locking flange 102, at least along that portion of receptacle 10 that is nearest the receptacle axis at any particular time. The notch 104 between the end of flange 102 and support body 20 is sufficiently deep to absorb the full oscillation of support body'20.

Receptacle 10 and chamber 13 do not rotate, since this would cause the reeling of wire which the present invention is intended to avoid. Instead, they merely oscillate with respect to support body 20 by shifting radially outward in every direction aroundv the axis of receptacle 10.

Beneath receptacle bottom 14 are positioned a plurality of support elements 106, which rest upon support body 20 and permit relative movement of receptacle 10 with respect to the support body. The support elements may be smooth-surfaced buttons or studs projecting out of receptacle bottom 14 or rollers carried by bottom 14.

Oscillation of receptacle 10 is caused by motor 110 which rotates crank 112. Crank 112 is joined to crossbar 114 through free swivel joint 116. Rotation of crank 112 is transmitted to cross-bar 114 as radially outward movement or oscillation around the axis of receptacle 10. Cross-bar 114 is connected to posts 118 affixed to bottom 14 of receptacle 10. Support 20 is provided with clearance openings 120 for posts 118 to permit unencumbered oscillation of chamber 13.

As chamber 13 oscillates eccentrically with respect to the open base of cone 54, wire 72 coils in a phase shifting" manner.

FIG. 8 shows a second modified apparatus for causing phase shifted coiling of wire 72 in chamber 13. Cone 132, which otherwise performs the same function as cone 54, has a constant angle of tilt or skew with respect to the axis of receptacle 10. Cone 132 is oscillated so that its point of maximum skew rotates around the axis of receptacle 10. The rate of movement of the point of maximum skew is different than the rate of rotation of wire 72 under the influence of the trans versely directed airflow in order to obtain the desired phase shift in the deposit of wire 72.

Motor 30 not only spins the fan blades 32, it also rotates outwardly extending drive shaft 134 which communicates through shaft speed reducing gear box 136 with cone oscillating drive shaft 138. Arms 140, 142 are secured to shaft 138. At the outer end of each of these arms is a respective roller 144, 145.

The interior of cone 132 carries two parallel tracks 146, 148, which respectively receive rollers 144, 145. The lengths of arms 140, 142 and the positions of tracks 146, 148 are chosen so that the cone will maintain its skewed orientation. 7

Upon rotation of shaft 138, arms 140, 142 rotate. Upon rollers 144, moving through their respective tracks, the skew of cone 132 oscillates around the entire chamber 13. Gear box 136 so controls the rate at which shaft 138 rotates that the movement of the skewed cone is at a different rate than the rotation rate of wire 72.

Stationary shaft 150, coaxial with shaft 138, carries freely telescopable arms 152 which are pivotallyj connected to shaft 138 so as to pivot vertically. Arms 152 are connected with cone 132 to prevent the same from rotating under the influence of rotating rollers 144, 145.

' Cone 60 remains affixed to and oscillates with cone 132. With respect to cone 132, therefore, the transverse gas or fluid flow acting upon the wire 72 remains constant no matter in which direction cone 132 is skewing.

FIG. 9 shows a third modified embodiment of apparatus for causing wire 72 to coil in a phase shifted" manner. Additional fluid or gas is blown radially outward against wire 72 as it rotates. The radial flow of gas changes the normal pathway along which wire 72 settles into chamber 13. The rate of rotation of the radially directed fluid flow is different than the rate of rotation. of wire 72.

In apparatus 160, the lower end of the wire directing cone 54 is spaced slightly away from the upper ends of receptacle walls 11 and 12 to provide gap 162 through which a radially outwardly directed flow of gascan pass.

A conventional air pressure supply 164 communicates through conduit 165 and through air jet supply and support post 166 with the inlet fitting 168 leading into gas jet 170. Jet 170 has a directional outlet emitting gas in a narrow unidirectional stream. Motor 30 not only rotates the fan blades 32, but through shaft 172, gear box 174 and support shaft 166, it also rotates fitting 168 and jet 170. Gear box 174 adjusts the rotation rate of jet 170 with respect to the rate of rotation of wire 72. As the gas from rotating jet 170 flows through gap 162, it approaches, passes and then moves beyond rotating wire 72. Wire 72 shifts radially outward as it is being wound, thereby creating the desired phase shift of the wire.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a fourth modified embodiment of apparatus 180 for causing phase shifted" coiling of wire 72. Radially outwardly directed gas periodically impinges upon wire 72 as it is settling through chamber 13. To accomplish this, while annular chamber 13 includes the same exterior wall 11, its interior wall 182 is comprised, not of gas or fluid impermeable material, but of an annular gas permeable screen of a screen or mesh-like material, such as a fine wire screen.

A second similar gas or fluid permeable annular screen 184 is disposed radially inwardly from chamber wall 182. Screen 184 is rotated about its axis. It is known that if screens 182 and 184 have a regular mesh, their relative rotation will alternately hinder and freely permit passage of gas through chamber wall 182 into chamber 13.

A second set of similar gas or fluid permeable, annular, relatively rotatable screens 186, 188 is disposed radially inwardly from screen 184. Here also, the relative rotation of these two screens alternately permits and hinders flow of gas radially outwardly to screen pair 182, 184. The alternate hindering and permitting of gas passage provided by screen pairs 182, 184 and 186, 188 can be arranged so that gas is permitted to impinge upon rotating wire 72 with sufficient frequency to ensure that wire 72 will be deposited with the desired phase shift."

The total heights of screens 182, 184, 186, and 188 and the height portion of each which is permeable to gas flow and which is impermeable to gas flow is a matter of choice. These heights can be varied to regulate the volume of gas acting upon the wire 72 and the period of time over which the gas acts upon the wire as it moves through chamber 13.

Chamber screen wall 182 and central screen 188 are stationary. Both of screens 184, 186 are connected to rigid arms 190. Arms 190 are attached through an ap-.

propriate gear arrangement 192 to drive shaft 194 and are rotated thereby. Gear arrangement 192 causes screens 184, 186 to rotate at the desired rate.

Motor 30 rotates fan blades 32. It also rotates drive shaft 194. Also secured to drive shaft 194 are the fan blades 196 which rotate with the. fan blades 32.

There are a plurality of openings 40 through base plate 20 and support 22 so that ambient air or gas can be drawn into interior chamber 198 and be blown upwardly through that chamber.

In the present embodiment, the interior chamber 198 is closed at its top by an annular dome roof 202, which is curved to redirect the air blown by blades 32 radially outwardly completely around the axis'of receptacle l0 and through the entire circumference of screen 188 along virtually the entire height of that screen. Dome roof 202, the screens or other means may be arranged to block or not even generate flow through an arcuate section of screen 188. However, flow is through a major' arcuate portion of that screen.

Air that would normally be directed into cone 60 by fan 32 is blocked from reaching that cone by dome cover 202. Separate fan blades 196 draw ambient air from chamber 198 through opening 204 in dome roof 202 and into the interior of cone 54. Fan blades 196 then blow the air into cone 60.

Other techniques are available for adjusting the position of the wire with respect to the prior coils of wire and the foregoing apparatus were described as exemplary of various apparatus and techniques available.

Although this invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of this invention is to be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A method of spooling flexible filament material, comprising the steps of:

urging the filament material toward a spool;

moving a first fluid stream at an angle to the filament,

thereby establishing a first viscous force for causing positive substantially continuous shifting of the po-' sition of the filament as it passes the first fluid stream, thereby to move the filament in a manner which facilitates spooling of the filament on a spool.

2. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 1, wherein the first fluid stream moves generally about a loop pathway for moving the filament generally through a loop path as it passes through the first fluid stream.

3. The method of spooling flexible material of claim 2, comprising the futher step of shifting one of the filament moving through a loop pathway and the spool receiving the filament with respect to the other in a cyclic manner with the cycle of the loop pathway being different from the cycle of shifting, thereby to deposit the filament in a phase shifted" coil.

4. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 1, wherein the filament is urged toward a spool by moving a second fluid stream along the filament, thereby establishing a second viscous force for positively leading the filament to move toward the spool.

5. The method 'of spooling flexible filament material of claim 4, wherein the first fluid stream moves generally about a loop pathway for moving the filament generally through a loop path as it passes through the first fluid stream.

6. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 5, wherein the second fluid stream acts upon the filament before the first fluid stream.

7. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 3, wherein it is the filament that is shifted by contacting the filament transversely to its loop pathway to shift the filament outwardly and to cause the filament to be moved by the first fluid stream in a loop of predetermined shape.

8. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 7, wherein the filament is urged toward a spool by moving a second fluid stream along the filament, thereby establishing a second viscous force for positively leading the filament to move toward the spool.

9. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 7, wherein the step of contacting the filament comprises directing an air stream of varying strength transversely across the filament; the first stream serving to rotate the filament through one loop during a first period and the transverse air stream varying cyclically, with its cycle having a period different from the period of the rotation cycle of the filament.

10. A filament spooling apparatus comprising, in combination:

a filament receptacle within which an elongated filament is to be spooled around the axis of said receptacle, said receptacle having an open input end;

a guide member having an outer elongated guide surface having a circular cross section defined about a central axis and having a discharge end adjacent the said open input end of said receptacle, and having an input end portion;

a source of filament to be spooled disposed on the side of said guide surface which contains said input end portion of said guide surface, said guide surface directing filament from said source of filament from said input end portion, over said guide surface and toward said open end of said receptacle;

means for generating a fluid stream having at least a component which flows angularly across at least a portion of said guide surface, whereby a viscous force is applied to filament passing over said surface and through said fluid stream which tends to rotate filament around the axis of said surface, thereby to spool filament into said receptacle;

shifting means in contact with at least one of said filament receptacle and said filament for cyclically shifting the same with respect to the other; said means for generating the fluid stream that rotates the filament and said shifting means operating in different cycles, whereby the filament is spooled in a phase shifted" manner.

Ill. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said shifting means comprises an oscillation means connected with said filament receptacle for oscillating same about its said axis.

12. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said shifting means comprises a means for generating a second fluid stream, which stream is directed transversely across to exert a viscous force upon the portion of the filament that is moving under the influence of the viscous force that is applied to the filament by thefirst mentioned means for generating a fluid stream.

13. The spooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means for generating a second fluid stream comprises a fluid jet having a directional outlet and which is carried by a support; said jet outlet being near said filament receptacle axis; means for rotating said jet outlet at a cyclic rate different than the rate of filament rotation.

14. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means for generating a second fluid stream comprises means for directing fluid outwardly with respect to said filament receptacle axis over a major portion of the rotative pathway of the filament, and means emitting the fluid to be so directed;

a plurality of screen means interposed between said fluid emitting means and the rotative pathway followed by the filament; said screen means being movable with respect to each other, and means for effecting such relative movement; said screen means being of a type such that when they are moved to one relative position with respect to each other, said plurality of screen means permit fluid flow therethrough, and when they are moved to another relative position, said plurality of screen means hinder flow therethrough, whereby fluid flow cyclically impinges upon the filament.

15. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 14,,

wherein said screen means extend around said receptacle axis and at least one of said screen means is rotatable around the said receptacle axis with respect to the other said screen means, and said means for effecting relative movement rotates that said screen means.

16. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 15, wherein said receptacle includesa wall facing inward toward said receptacle axis; that said receptacle wall comprises one of said screen means, whereby fluid acts upon the filament as it moves through said receptacle.

17. The filament spooling apparatusof claim 10, wherein said guide surface is a hollow cone;

said shifting means comprises said cone central axis being skewed from said receptacle axis;

means for oscillating said cone, to oscillate the direction of skew of said cone completely around said receptacle axis.

18. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 17,

wherein said means for generating a fluid stream includes a hollow conical cap disposed adjacent and atop the apex of said cone and telescoping thereon; said cone being truncated to define a gas discharge opening into said conical cap for said means for generating the fluid stream; the interior of said hollow conical cap defining a deflecting path for fluid discharged from the interior of said cone to direct that fluid over the outer surface of said cone; and deflection means for imparting an angular deflection to fluid issuing over the surface of said cone. 

1. A method of spooling flexible filament material, comprising the steps of: urging the filament material toward a spool; moving a first fluid stream at an angle to the filament, thereby establishing a first viscous force for causing positive substantially continuous shifting of the position of the filament as it passes the first fluid stream, thereby to move the filament in a manner which facilitates spooling of the filament on a spool.
 2. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 1, wherein the first fluid stream moves generally about a loop pathway for moving the filament generally through a loop path as it passes through the first fluid stream.
 3. The method of spooling flexible material of claim 2, comprising the futher step of shifting one of the filament moving through a loop pathway and the spool receiving the filament with respect to the other in a cyclic manner with the cycle of the loop pathway being different from the cycle of shifting, thereby to deposit the filament in a ''''phase shifted'''' coil.
 4. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 1, wherein the filament is urged toward a spool by moving a second fluid stream along the filament, thereby establishing a second viscous force for positively leading the filament to move toward the spool.
 5. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 4, wherein the first fluid stream moves generally about a loop pathway for moving the filament generally through a loop path as it passes through the first fluid stream.
 6. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 5, wherein the second fluid stream acts upon the filament before the first fluid stream.
 7. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 3, wherein it is the filament that is shifted by contacting the filament transversely to its loop pathway to shift the filament outwardly and to cause the filament to be moved by the first fluid stream in a loop of predetermined shape.
 8. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 7, wherein the filament is urged toward a spool by moving a second fluid stream along the filament, thereby establishing a second viscous force for positively leading the filament to move toward the spool.
 9. The method of spooling flexible filament material of claim 7, wherein the step of contacting the filament comprises directing an air stream of varying strength transversely across the filament; the first stream serving to rotate the filament through one loop during a first period and the transverse air stream varying cyclically, with its cycle having a period different from the period of the rotation cycle of the filament.
 10. A filament spooling apparatus comprising, in combination: a filament receptacle within which an elongated filament is to be spooled around the axis of said receptacle, said receptacle having an open input end; a guide member having an outer elongated guide surface having a circular cross section defined about a central axis and having a discharge end adjacent the said open input end of said receptacle, and having an input end portion; a source of filament to be spooled disposed on the side of said guide surface which contains said input end portion of said guide surface, said guide surface directing filament from said source of filament from said input end portion, over said guide surface and toward said open end of said receptacle; means for generating a fluid stream having at least a component which flows angularly across at least a portion of said guide surface, whereby a viscous force is applied to filament passing over said surface and through said fluid stream which tends to rotate filament around the axis of said surface, thereby to spool filament into said receptacle; shifting means in contact with at least one of said filament receptacle and said filament for cyclically shifting the same with respect to the other; said means for generating the fluid stream that rotates the filament and said shifting means operating in different cycles, whereby the filament is spooled in a ''''phase shifted'''' manner.
 11. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said shifting means comprises an oscillation means connected with said filament receptacle for oscillating same about its said axis.
 12. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said shifting means comprises a means for generating a second fluid stream, which stream is directed transversely across to exert a viscous force upon the portion of the filament that is moving under the influence of the viscous force that is applied to the filament by the first mentioned means for generating a fluid stream.
 13. The spooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means for generating a second fluid stream comprises a fluid jet having a directional outlet and which is carried by a support; said jet outlet being near said filament receptacle axis; means for rotating said jet outlet at a cyclic rate different than the rate of filament rotation.
 14. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means for generating a second fluid stream comprises means for directing fluid outwardly with respect to said filament receptacle axis over a major portion of the rotative pathway of the filament, and means emitting the fluid to be so directed; a plurality of screen means interposed between said fluid emitting means and the rotative pathway followed by the filament; said screen means being movable with respect to each other, and means for effecting such relative movement; said screen means being of a type such that when they are moved to one relative position with respect to each other, said plurality of screen means permit fluid flow therethrough, and when they are moved to another relative position, said plurality of screen means hinder flow therethrough, whereby fluid flow cyclically impinges upon the filament.
 15. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 14, wherein said screen means extend around said receptacle axis and at least one of said screen means is rotatable around the said receptacle axis with respect to the other said screen means, and said means for effecting relative movement rotates that said screen means.
 16. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 15, wherein said receptacle incLudes a wall facing inward toward said receptacle axis; that said receptacle wall comprises one of said screen means, whereby fluid acts upon the filament as it moves through said receptacle.
 17. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said guide surface is a hollow cone; said shifting means comprises said cone central axis being skewed from said receptacle axis; means for oscillating said cone, to oscillate the direction of skew of said cone completely around said receptacle axis.
 18. The filament spooling apparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for generating a fluid stream includes a hollow conical cap disposed adjacent and atop the apex of said cone and telescoping thereon; said cone being truncated to define a gas discharge opening into said conical cap for said means for generating the fluid stream; the interior of said hollow conical cap defining a deflecting path for fluid discharged from the interior of said cone to direct that fluid over the outer surface of said cone; and deflection means for imparting an angular deflection to fluid issuing over the surface of said cone. 